Obtaining Peace: Exercising the Grace of Hospitality

 Peace 12

The Emmaus Disciples by Abraham Bloemaert
c 1622

Thus far in our discussion of the biblical means of obtaining peace I have been fairly predictable. Methods such as trusting the Lord, developing your relationship with Him and with His church, living right, and enjoying His creation have been mentioned. I am not afraid to be predictable. After all, much biblical teaching is predictable for those who know the Lord well. Having said that, I am also not afraid to be unpredictable if I am convinced I am being biblical. Such is the case with today’s method of obtaining peace. It is not one you would normally expect, I think.

          About six months before Jesus died, He made one final effort at evangelizing Judea. It had never welcomed Him. As the old statement says, Galilee gave Him a home while Judea gave Him a cross. He had systematically preached through it earlier in His ministry, and sporadically here and there in the interval since. But now, just a few months before His death, He organizes His followers for one last stab at the geographical heart of Judaism. Thus it is that He sends teams of advance men throughout the region to prepare for His last preaching tour of it.

          We pick up the story at this point in Luke 10.

 

1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

 

          I do not believe this passage is primarily intended to teach us how to obtain peace. I do believe, however, that we can find some applicable truth here that is often overlooked. Peace comes to our homes when we are hospitable to those preaching the Gospel.

          The Roman era Middle Eastern civilization did not have a structure of hotels and restaurants. In its place, a culture of hospitality formed, a culture that was continually cultivated from generation to generation. To this day, two millennia later, the hospitality of the Middle Eastern peoples is the best in the world. It is part of who they are and a core part.

          In a church context, then, when an evangelist traveled from place to place he did not drive an RV or pillow his head in a three star hotel. He went by faith, believing if he preached the Word that God’s people in that area would provide for him. They would take him into their homes, feed him at their table, and meet his physical needs for the length of his stay among them.

Christ in the House of Mary and Martha
by Johannes Vermeer, c 1675

          It is this to which Jesus alludes in Luke 10. He is readying one last preaching push through Judea. In preparation, He will send teams of men into each Judean hill town. If that town is receptive to the message proclaiming Christ it will be seen in the hospitality they extend to that team. If that town is not receptive to Christ’s message, well then, that, too, will be seen in the lack of hospitality they extend toward that team.

          In 21st century America, hospitality is a dying grace. It has been replaced with the cheap substitute of “entertaining.” Yet even that is largely only found in the business class eager to impress others with the square footage of their suburban McMansion. Such a thing has nothing to do with actual, biblical hospitality. Hospitality is not about impressing people. It is about opening up your home, and using every means at your disposal to make people feel welcomed, encouraged, taken in, and refreshed. It is not display; it is the opening up of yourself and of your life, inviting others into the peace and sanctity and happiness of your family circle. It is relationships grown to the point of being relaxed with one another, not all dressed up at church, but all dressed down at home. It is a practical, encouraging opening of your heart and hearth to God’s children. In short, it is loving your neighbor as yourself.

          It is a tragedy that this has all the appearances of a dying art. It is eminently edifying and entirely scriptural. We are commanded to be given to hospitality (Romans 12.13). We are told to use hospitality one to another without grudging *I Peter 4.9). As in other areas of the Christian life, the pastor is specifically instructed to lead in this. A bishop must be… given to hospitality (I Timothy 3.2). He is told to be a lover of hospitality (Titus 1.8). It builds deep relationships, fosters unity in and between churches, and lowers the guard of the lost.

In addition to all of these comes yet one further blessing: it brings peace. Homes that are hospitable homes, families whose lives are marked by hospitality are peaceful homes and families. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it (Luke 10.5-6).

I have mentioned a time or two in this blog series that when I purchased my home here in Dubuque last year I decided to name it Saint’s Rest. I chose that name because I want it to reflect what my home is to me and mine, yes, but also to all those who come within its walls. I want to live in a peaceful place, but more than that, I want my home to be a place of rest, refreshment, and encouragement for God’s people.

As I write this it is Saturday afternoon. Last night, we hosted two families from our church in our home. We ate a delicious Mexican themed meal al fresco on the deck, and then I built a fire while a group played Ticket to Ride in the gathering dark. Lamps were brought out, music was turned on, and the backyard echoed to the sound of laughter. Later, we all gathered around the flames and fellowshipped late into the night. Tonight, twenty-five or so men from our church will gather on the same deck and patio. We will eat some delicious food prepared by a man in our church who is an excellent cook. We will hear an area pastor give us a thought from the Word of God. Then while some shoot pool, others will gather around the same firepit still warm with last night’s ashes. We will mingle life and stories and food and biblical discussion in the broth of hospitality. And the men will be edified, I hope.

I do not think I could count how many people walk through the front doors of our home for a meal in a year’s time. A couple of hundred, maybe? Maybe more. Some stay a short time. Some stay late into the evening. Some stay until the next morning. Some are family. Some are friends traveling through. Some are preachers weary in the fight. Some are our own church members. Some are neighbors. All are warmly welcomed. I am sure there are saints better at hospitality than Mandy and I are but I am not sure there are saints more sincerely dedicated to it than we are.

My parents are up in years, to put it mildly. But the last time I was in their home in Michigan I found a refrigerator covered in missionary’s prayer cards, each one a family that had stayed in their home, eaten at their table, and gone away refreshed in body and spirit. It has been that way all my life. I hope my children will say the same thing about Mandy and me.

          We are not a perfect family, by any means, but it is no coincidence that we have a peaceful home. It is not because we are wonderful people. It is because God blesses obedience. In this case, He blesses the obedience of hospitality exercised toward His children with the presence of peace in my house.

How does that happen? I do not know, exactly, but I do know it does happen. Further, I invite you to undertake the biblical grace of hospitality. Yes, you have to clean your house every time you turn around. Yes, your grocery budget proverbially has a giant hole in it. Yes, you have purchase more furniture and creatively use space to house and feed people. But what you gain is much more than what it costs.

Elisha Raise a Son of the Woman of Shunem
by Benjamin West, c 1765

Someone reading this somewhere in America is thinking, “Yeah. This is exactly what my pastor needs to do. I hope he is reading this.” If that is the case, may I gently say, you have it all backwards. Hospitality ought to be exemplified by your pastor, yes, but it is to be practiced by all the saints. If he does, copy him. If he does not, let its ministry in your church begin with you.

Open your home, and your heart to God’s people, known and unknown. And do not be surprised when peace comes tripping through the door right behind Bro. and Sis. So-and-So. At some point, they will depart, encouraged, refreshed, recharged, edified. The peace will stay.

Do you need peace? Embrace the ministry of hospitality.